SHRC seeks report on death of girl due to dog bite

Hyderabad, May 5 (INN): The State Human Rights Commission on Thursday ordered the registration of a suo motu case in connection with the death of a 11-year-old girl due to lack of rabies vaccine in Rajahmundry in East Godavari district.

The Rights Commission registered the case on the basis of newspaper reports and issued directions to Health and Medical Education Principal Secretary, District Health Officer and Rajahmundry Government Hospital Superintendent to submit a comprehensive report on the incident to it before May 18.

According to reports, the 11-year-old girl, identified as Anusha, was admitted to the government hospital after being bitten by a dog on March 15. However, the hospital authorities did not administered rabies vaccine to the girl immediately due to shortage of drug in the hospital. The girl died on May 3.

Meanwhile Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy also enquired about the incident from his officials. He directed the East Godavari district Collector to conduct a detailed enquiry in to the death in the Rajahmundry Government Hospital and submit a report immediately.

The Chief Minister also enquired with the officials of Medical and Health Department about the reasons for the gap in the availability of stocks of critical and important medicines like Anti Rabies Vaccine in the Government Hospitals and instructed them to ensure that such gaps do not recur in future.

Earlier, Rajahmundry Additional Joint Collector Rama Rao inspected the Government Hospital and enquired about incidents leading to Anusha's death from the hospital doctors. The Additional Joint Collector directed the hospital superintendent to submit a comprehensive report on the incident to him.